Attempted assassin of Justice Kavanaugh receives eight-year sentence
Nicholas Roske, who attempted to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison. The 26-year-old from California pleaded guilty to the charge earlier this year. The case stemmed from Roske's arrest near Kavanaugh's home amid national tensions over abortion rights.
In a federal courtroom in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Nicholas John Roske to eight years in prison on October 3, 2024. Roske, a 26-year-old resident of Tarzana, California, had pleaded guilty in July to one count of attempted murder of a United States government official. The charge carried a potential penalty of up to life in prison, but prosecutors had recommended a 10-year term, while Roske's defense sought seven years.
The incident unfolded in the early morning hours of June 8, 2022, when Roske was arrested outside Justice Kavanaugh's residence in Chevy Chase, Maryland. According to court documents, Roske had flown from California to the Washington, D.C., area with the intent to kill the justice. He was armed with an AR-15-style rifle, a tactical vest, a knife, two magazines of ammunition, pepper spray, zip ties, and other items. Roske told investigators he was motivated by anger over a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that appeared to overturn Roe v. Wade, as well as a recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. He believed assassinating Kavanaugh would prevent further gun control measures and influence the court's composition.
'I am sorry for what I did,' Roske said during his sentencing hearing, according to reports. 'I was in a very dark place.' His attorneys argued that Roske suffered from mental health issues, including autism spectrum disorder and depression, which contributed to his actions. They highlighted his lack of prior criminal history and his cooperation with authorities after his arrest.
Prosecutor Jonathan Lenz stressed the gravity of the threat to the Supreme Court justice. 'This was a credible threat against a sitting Supreme Court justice,' Lenz said. The case drew widespread attention amid heightened security concerns for the justices following the leak of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization draft opinion in May 2022, which ultimately led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Roske's sentencing serves as a reminder of the polarized political climate surrounding the Supreme Court. While the attempt was foiled by Roske's own 911 call expressing suicidal thoughts and fears of getting caught, it prompted increased protection for the justices and underscored ongoing debates about judicial security and political violence in the U.S.